Sambar with a twist

What is the similarity between Awarekai and Menthya soppu /Fenugreek Greens?
1)They both are green in colour
2) They both are winter vegetables
and
and
and?
They both find their way into everything that comes out of the kitchen!!! Yes they actually do, avarekai in Karnataka and Methi in Punjab. I am fond of both the vegetables. I simply cannot resist fresh specimens of either!! And in my kitchen both vegetables creep into all believe-it-or-not dishes...This time around it was a rather new style that i thought would experiment with. I had a handful of methi leaves and pretty much nothing else. I also had some idli batter lying in the fridge. So this dish was born out of inevitability rather than taste and choice. But turned out really good. Me and Honey were licking the pot at the end of our dinner!!Here it goes

You will need

Split moong dal 1/2 cup
Turmeric a dash
Oil a few drops
Huli pudi/ sambar powder 1 tsp
Tamarind paste 1/2 tsp
Jaggery a small piece

For the tempering:
Ghee 1 tbsp (yes oodles!!)
Dry red chillies 3
Fresh Methi leaves chopped 2-3 tbsp
Hing
Mustard seeds

Method

• Pick and clean the moong dal. Wash a couple of times in plenty of water.
• Combine the dal, enough water, turmeric and oil in a pressure cooker. Cook till the dal is soft, about 2 whistles. Set aside to cool.
  
• In a thick bottomed pot, mix the huli pudi/ sambar powder, tamarind and jaggery with 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer till the masala smells cooked.
• Now carefully add the cooked dal mixture so as to not splash the hot masala and scald yourself!
• Bring it to a gentle blog.
• To prepare the tempering, heat the ghee in a pan. Throw in the mustard seeds, once it splutters, add the hing, red chillies and methi leaves. Saute till the methi leaves are almost crisp and dark.
• Pour it over the dal mixture . Turn the heat off and serve it with hot idlis!!!